SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) has opened registration for its Spring Outlook and Strategies Conference, Mar. 29-31, 2017 in Charlotte, N.C. Bringing together leaders in the folding carton industry, the meeting will focus on strategies for leveraging uncertainty and change.

Keynoting the conference will be Shawn Rhodes, former U.S. Marine Corps war correspondent turned organizational consultant, TEDx speaker, and author. Rhodes has studied team performance in the most dangerous and unpredictable environments on the planet, and he will share what he’s learned from these high-performing teams. Specifically, he’ll show attendees how they can create a “bulletproof business” that can leverage volatility and change without sacrificing results.
 
Alan Beaulieu, noted economist and president of ITR Economics, will also address the volatility that seems to be increasing throughout the world. Beaulieu will address changes that have occurred in Washington, Europe and the U.K., and China—and how they could affect PPC member companies both positively and negatively. Among other topics, he will discuss the new administration in Washington, the economic health of the U.S. consumer, job growth and wages, interest rates, and current economic megatrends.
 
Additionally, attendees will learn the latest trends in sustainable packaging from Ron Sasine, principal of Hudson and Windsor and former packaging executive with Walmart and MeadWestvaco (now WestRock). They’ll also receive updates on industry initiatives from the Paper and Packaging Board as well as the Recycled Paperboard Technical Association/100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance.
 
“In today’s business world, conditions can change at the drop of a dime,” said Ben Markens, president of PPC. “So it’s incredibly important to think about ways to embrace uncertainty. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish during Spring Meeting.”
 
In the context of thinking about change, the conference’s location will serve as inspiration. The Charlotte Marriott City Center is the world's first innovation incubator hotel—the property where Marriott explores cutting-edge features and programs that could end up in hotels across the globe. With experimental features like keyless entry upon arrival and digital experiences in the fitness studio, the hotel invites guests to test and give feedback in real-time, ultimately shaping their future hotel experience.
 
The conference will also feature a reception at the NASCAR Hall of Fame as well as the celebration of PPC’s Safety Boxscore honorees—the PPC member plants with the best employee safety records over the past year.
 
To learn more about PPC’s Spring Meeting, visit paperbox.org/spring.